Florida community plans wedding in five days for couple who had to flee Israel
PALM BEACH COUNTY -- Planning a fully wedding in five days is an amazing task for anyone.
But in Florida, an entire community came together to make it happen for one couple who had to flee Israel.
At first glance, this may have looked like just an ordinary orthodox Jewish wedding in North Palm Beach.
But this wedding was anything but ordinary.
"It's unbelievably heartwarming how Jews, non-Jews, people, just people came together to give this couple an unbelievable experience." said Rabbi Leib Ezagui.
This wedding was supposed to happen in Israel, but it was canceled because of the war.
Zalman has family here, so he and his fiancé came to Palm Beach County.
"We weren't sure they were actually going to get here. When they finally got here on Thursday, that's when we actually said, 'hey, let's give them a wedding." said Rabbi Ezagui.
"This is just unbelievable. I mean, from everything we've been through, having to leave Israel and canceling the wedding over there and just making it happen here within a week." said groom Zalman Raksin.
The flowers, the music, and the catering all came together in five days.
"We decided that this couple has to get married because that's how the Jewish people survive. We move on. We grow. We rise above." said Rabbi.
Some of the guests could make it but most could not.
Many of the people who attended the wedding were strangers.
"When you see someone going through something so difficult, you want to be there to support and show love, even if you don't know the person." said guest Talia Rockmacher.
"We wanted to make sure that there were people there that could support them and could boost them up when they're in a sad place," said another guest Samantha Meltzer.
And what makes this even more special is that the wedding was supposed to happen at a venue just outside Jerusalem Tuesday night.
A rocket fell there at the exact time they were supposed to be getting married.
"It was crazy. It was like Hashem is with us." said bride Daniella Raskin.